The 39th Session of the African Union General Assembly, held from 14–15 February 2026 in Addis Ababa, has endorsed key recommendations and adopted the decisions of the 43rd session of the Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) of the AU Development Agency–NEPAD (AUDA‑NEPAD), setting the direction for the Agency’s work during the acceleration phase of the Second Ten‑Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063.

The Assembly’s decisions reaffirm AUDA‑NEPAD’s mandate to drive implementation across priority development areas, including human capital development, agriculture and food systems, climate resilience and environmental sustainability, health, industrialisation, and infrastructure development.

In a significant leadership decision, the Assembly endorsed H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, as Chairperson of the AUDA‑NEPAD HSGOC for a two‑year term, following H.E. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt’s outstanding leadership as Chair. His appointment comes as Africa advances efforts to deepen regional integration, expand infrastructure and energy investments, and harness demographic and digital opportunities to accelerate inclusive growth. During his tenure as African Union Chairperson, H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço and his government co‑hosted the Luanda Financing Summit with AUDA-NEPAD and the AU Commission, aimed at advancing infrastructure investment in Africa, underscoring his commitment to driving transformative development across the continent.

The Assembly also approved the renewal of the mandate of AUDA‑NEPAD Chief Executive Officer, H.E. Mrs Nardos Bekele‑Thomas, the Agencies First Female Chief Executive Office , for a further four‑year term. In its decision, the Assembly acknowledged the progress achieved under her leadership in strengthening AUDA‑NEPAD’s institutional capacity, governance systems, programme delivery, and resource mobilisation. 

During her first term, AUDA‑NEPAD significantly expanded its financial base, with revenue inflows increasing from approximately USD 30 million to over USD 300 million, enabling the scale‑up of catalytic development programmes across the continent. The Agency also mobilised the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI) to advance African‑led infrastructure financing and initiated work towards establishing an African Union Development Fund aligned to Agenda 2063 priorities.  She has been deliberate to prioritize women and youth development under the Energize Africa Framework which has already created job opportunities at both public and private sector levels.   

Accepting her reappointment, Mrs Bekele‑Thomas said “I receive this renewed mandate with deep humility and a strong commitment to serve Africa with excellence and integrity. Over the past four years, we have demonstrated that African institutions can deliver large‑scale development results. As AUDA‑NEPAD enters its next phase, we will focus on translating continental priorities into measurable outcomes that improve lives and strengthen Africa’s capacity to drive its own development."

The Assembly’s decisions reinforce AUDA‑NEPAD’s central role in supporting Member States, regional economic communities, and partners to implement Agenda 2063 and accelerate Africa’s transformation during the current decade.